How to stay in shape when bad weather 'HIITs'

In addition to the free HIIT and yoga sessions available to students on fitness apps, the uni's HIIT society hasn't let the pandemic (or bad weather) deter them from running 4 sessions per week that can be done right from your bedroom over Zoom! Starting with upper body on Monday, lower body on Wednesday, a chilled stretch session on Friday and a full body workout on Sunday mornings, there's plenty of variety to get stuck into. By rewarding yourself with delicious incentives (hello Sunday pancakes!) and getting your housemates involved, it becomes a lot easier to find the motivation.

If you thrive on music for inspiration, there's a wealth of videos on YouTube striving to make workouts that little bit more fun. If Hamilton, High School Musical and 90s club classics are your thing, check out this channel that's bound to get you dancing around your room.

If HIIT really isn't your thing, there's still plenty of little things you can incorporate into your daily routine to keep moving!

From doing calf raises while you wash up, to bashing out a few squats during that seminar where your microphone's muted and your camera's turned off, there are many ways to move your body throughout the day.

If it's possible and safe for you to do so given the current situation, walking to the supermarket and carrying home your shopping can turn into weight training without you even realising! If you can, try cutting down on the deliveries to find a welcome escape from staring at the same 4 walls all day.

Even bad weather doesn't mean going outside is a total write-off. Wrap up warm and go for a walk or a run (if you're feeling brave!). If getting your steps in feels like a challenge, try distracting yourself by talking to a friend, putting on your favourite playlist or listening to a podcast. With your mind away from the weather, you will have hit your daily target before you know it.

Having said this, sometimes feeling the wind and rain in your face can do everything to make you feel more alive…and often the only way to deal with the wind hopelessly blowing off your hood is to accept it and laugh! Plus, the feeling of wrapping up with a blanket and a hot drink becomes even sweeter when you get home.

Lily Holbrook

We are all aware of the benefits of exercising and yet, during these crazy COVID times, it’s often extremely hard to force yourself to work out, especially when the weather is bad. Luckily, because of the isolation that the virus has put us into, many workout apps are now completely free and are, believe it or not, fun! Keep on reading because this article will share some of these apps with you!

Want to connect to your body and mind? Then try the Down Dog Yoga app, which is completely free until 1st of May 2021. It’s super vibey, it gives you a studio-like yoga experience and it’s a great way to become more active, flexible and mindful during lockdown.

Want something more intense and moving? Go check the Down Dog's Workout app that is also free for students until 1st of July 2021. You can choose from different types of workouts – aerobic, legs, glutes, etc, you can also choose the music, the duration of the workout…basically everything.

A YouTube fan? Type Fitness Blender on YouTube and you will find lots of free full-length workout videos and routines. Not only the videos are amazing and there is a lot to choose from but also Fitness Blender is run by a married couple who are also personal trainers, how cool is that?

Although at first, using these apps can look and feel a little weird, they are for sure worth the try! After trying a certain workout app but end up not enjoying it as much, continue searching for the right one – there is something for everyone out there!

Bilyana Yordanova

Feature Imager credit: Pixabay, @stevepb